Thursday, May 4, 2023

Blossoming Through Mud

not-quite Journaling, 52

4/22/2023: [We’ve] got the whole world in [our] hands.” I know I’ve taken liberties with this quote, but it’s the real truth… what we must remember: our Earth depends on us, just like we completely depend on her. 

 

in April, crocus
blossoming brightly through mud—
entombing winter

4/23/2023: One of my favorite bits about April—aside from the departure of winter, the arrival of spring and my birthday—is seeing Nature burst in uplifting metaphor. I love seeing trees (that looked half-dead just days ago) budding with new life. I delight in birds, bees, butterflies and people coming out to enjoy the warming weather. And the best of all, crocuses… unburying themselves out of frigid slush, defying winter, and opening their petals to spring.

 

With work and help
damaged wings can still rise.

4/26/2023: My one-on-one physical therapy has ended. Not because all is well—the range of motion of my left shoulder is about 70%—but because it’s as much as this particular therapy can do for me. Next comes hydrotherapy. I hope it helps as much as the other one; doing my exercises six days a week, for 90 minutes, took me from 10% to 70%. If hydrotherapy takes me at least 25% closer to what my range used to be, I’ll be a happy woman. I’ll do the work, accept the help, and hope I’ll soon be able to raise my arms over my head. 

 

a wee taste
of home, tamarind
on my tongue

4/30/2023: Certain fruits (mango, guava, loquat… tamarind) take me back to warmer days, in the Dominican Republic—the tongue is a powerful conjurer of memories… Today, when NYC is rainy and gloomy, tasting something tropical feels just right.

 

May
the 4th
be with you,
on World Naked Gardening
Day.

5/4/2023: At the moment, I’m not brave enough to celebrate World Naked Gardening Day in the flesh—the thought of certain of my bits being exposed to dirt, thorns, bees… makes me shudder (and not in a good way). Until I have a nice greenhouse, I shall join the celebration in my head. After that, there shall be naked gardening and Star Wars movie watching (to double the celebratory fun).


- for Poets and Storytellers United--Friday Writings #75: A Character from Myth or Fable.


35 comments:

  1. Love the erasure poem and craft and that it takes both work and help... absolutely! Also tamarind... an integral part of south indian cooking...can't do without it!!! :)

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    1. You know, I've only ever had tamarind raw, as just, or ice pops... One of these days, I just try a delicious Indian recipe.

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  2. Oh yes, I thoroughly endorse your revised quote! Thank you for sharing your joy in all these. (It's getting a bit cool for naked gardening here.)

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    1. It hasn't gotten warm enough for naked gardening here either!

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  3. I to like your little erasure poem. Until I read Raj's comment, I passed it like it was a flower growing from a sidewalk crack. I'm glad your therapy did well and are hoping and pulling for enough for you to reach a star above. We have a pool in our back yard surrounded by a wooden fence. I'm tempted to swim naked . But I won't because the next door neighbor has a two-story house and I am afraid one of them might want to play David and Bathsheba. BTW, you could put rollup shades on the greenhouse.
    Happy Birthday
    ..

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  4. I so love reading your posts. I wish we were having spring here. The coast is exceptionally colder this year. Not sure what day your birthday is but I wish you the happiest of days. I'm glad your arm is improving and hope it continues to do so. Have a very nice weekend.

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    1. The weather has been slightly mad around here, too. I usually start my garden at the beginning of April, and this year I went even earlier, so my garden is not looking awesome at the moment--everything is growing so slowly, and slightly unhealthy looking. Fingers crossed.

      Thank you for the birthday wishes. My first birthday was on April 5th, but celebrate all the way until May 5th. 😁

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    2. P.S. I visited your blog earlier today, and read about your troubles. I shall keep you in my thoughts.

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  5. Too cold to even garden much here. Hoping for Saturday. I love your varied catch up and your reverence for the natural world. Be well.

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    1. I hope spring starts getting more springy soon. Things are still too cool (and rainy) around here, too.

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  6. Seventy percent is great for now! Mending a frozen shoulder is a little like a bloom reaching for the light, trying to emerge from winter's earth.

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    1. You are so right. Two years ago, when my orthopedic doctor told me that healing was going to take years, I don't know if I really believed him. But things look and feel better on this side of two years. I shall keep on working... and hoping.

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    2. Magaly, I had a frozen shoulder and the best thing a doctor taught me in recovery was to do a spider walk with my fingers up the wall. It helps keep my old wound at bay so maybe it can help you, too, if you don't already do it. :) Also, thanks so much for your words about my Penelope. It means a lot.

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    3. Finger walk and forearm wall slide are two of the exercises I do every day. I'm almost sure that they are now part of my daily routing for always.

      Thank you so much for sharing your Penelope with us.

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  7. Wow, going from 10% range of motion to 70% is amazing! I too hope that hydrotherapy will take you the rest of the way -- good luck!

    The indigenous name for crocus is "ears of the earth." The crocus comes up so early in order to listen for Spring's arrival. Isn't that charming imagery?

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    1. Amazing and then some. And the pain reduction is the bigger miracle, I think. I remember those months when I couldn't sleep, when an unexpected hug would leave me in tears. It's good to be able to do modified push-ups with just a bit of ache.

      Thanks for letting me know that about crocuses. How awesome!

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  8. Ok. I was going to say all sorts of wonderful things about healing and arting with words...then you said "naked gardening" and my brain flipped bwahahha..and I'd be more worried about the bees and thorny things being exposed to my bits then the other way round CWS XXX ;D

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    1. Bwahahaha! Naked gardening has that effect on most of us. 😁

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  9. I like them all very much but the eraser poem I like the best probably because of the art work and written page. How fun to take an altered book and do this throughout I’m going to so that! Stay tuned! I also like that you added a word to help the poem out. We can make our own rules! So glad your therapy has been a huge success !

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    1. Margaret Bednar - I see it lists me as anonymous. Hmmm

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    2. Thank you, Margaret. Stitched blackout poetry is a lot of fun, relaxing too. Can't wait to see what you come up with.

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  10. How can a tiny tree grow from a rock? Guerrero magic, that's how!

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  11. That plant in your hand, it looks like a little bonsai. I hope it grows into a real beauty.
    I can't imagine the physical pain you are going through but going from 10% range of motion to 70% speaks volumes about your perseverance and discipline.
    I see you have Groot and Princess Leia to help with your gardening. :)

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    1. It's a mini jade bonsai. It's fairly young, about a year. So it has some time to go.

      Groot spends all his time mumbling, "I am Groot". Which really shocks Princess Leia for some reason. But the Stormtrooper works himself to the bone. 😅

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  12. April and May are wonderful months when the garden flowers and plants really start to bloom ... but 'World Naked Gardening Day' !!!
    Think I will give that one a miss :)

    All the best Jan

    PS Hope your hydrotherapy goes well.
    https://thelowcarbdiabetic.blogspot.com/

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    1. It seems most of us are passing on World Naked Gardening Day. All those bees and thorns are very threatening. 😄

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    2. And I join my hope to yours!

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  13. No sane person would do naked gardening in Oz....too many things that sting and kill You're a real trooper Magaly doing all those exercises. It's paying off you will be better soon. It's cold here I have all the fur rugs and duvets on the bed . It is going to be a cold winter down under this year. Your spring flowers are lovely....Take care !......Rall

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    1. Naked gardening is risky business. 😜

      Thank you for the good wishes. Stay warm!

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  14. Flying farts - how could I miss world naked gardening day!? I am going to have to be more alert next year. Thanks for bringing that to my attention.

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    1. Well, now you know. You and your creepy gnome can be ready for next year. 😁

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